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The Operational Support Unit (OSU) is the Ministry of Defence Police's centrally managed, multi-capability, national response unit. It may be deployed anywhere in the UK at short notice. The MDP has two Operational Support Units. The are the force's strategic, specialist policing reserve providing a flexible, mobile response.
| Operational Support Unit | |
|---|---|
| File:MDPbadge.jpg | |
| Active | 1991 – Present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch | Director of Operational Support |
| Type | Domestic Law Enforcement |
| Role | Counter Terrorism, Public Order, Law Enforcement, CBRN |
| Part of | Ministry of Defence Police |
| Nickname(s) | OSU |
Locations
The MDP has two Operational Support Units, sited strategically to cover the North and South of the UK. Although both based in England, the OSUs also work in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- OSU South - Based at Wethersfield in Essex (Co-located with Agency HQ)
- OSU North - Based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse
Role
The MDP Operational Support Units are a strategic, specialist policing reserve providing the MDP with a flexible, mobile response.[1] The OSUs have a number of specialisms:[2]
Public Order
All OSU officers are trained to level one standard for policing public order incidents.
Specialist Firearms Support
As Authorised Firearms Officers, OSU officers can address a wide range of incidents that may occur on the Defence estate.
CBRN Response (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear)
The OSU is able to respond to CBRN incidents.